


Across the Stars: A Rise of Skywalker Fix-It

by kaitlynwrites31



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Reylo Week, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21989791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaitlynwrites31/pseuds/kaitlynwrites31
Summary: Since many of us did not agree with TROS ending, I decided to put my spin on a happy ending, in which Ben and Rey defeat Palpatine together as a dyad in the force. A version where they find peace and happiness in a galaxy finally free of war.Disclaimer: The characters in this work belong to Lucasfilm Ltd.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 4
Kudos: 74





	Across the Stars: A Rise of Skywalker Fix-It

I have to kill Palpatine. I have no choice. I raise my eyes to the aerial battle above me, and see dozens of Resistance ships falling from the sky like fiery shooting stars, defeated by the Final Order fleet. Finn could be up there with Poe, flying and fighting to end this war, or he could possibly be dead already. I can’t let any of these deaths be in vain. 

“Strike me down. Take the throne. Reign over a new empire, and the fleet will be yours. Only you have the power to save them. Refuse, and your new family dies!” Palpatine crackles inching closer to me, attached like a puppet to the machine keeping him alive. 

My stomach sinks, and as I face him, I feel all hope is completely lost. If I have to give my life to save hundreds of innocent ones, so be it. Sacrifices must be made in times of war.

“The ritual begins! She will strike me down, and pledge herself as a Sith. She will draw her weapon.” Palpatine says in a sickeningly optimistic tone. I slowly raise my lightsaber, taking in the last of the glowing blue light that I may ever see.

“She will come to me.” I slowly stride towards him, trying to hide my complete and utter terror. 

“She will take her revenge. And with a stroke of her saber, the Sith are reborn. The Jedi are dead!” Palpatine yells triumphantly. I’m numb and void of emotion as I move to strike Palpatine down, but I pause. 

A vision appears abruptly in my mind, and instead of looking at the hideous Palpatine, I see Ben. We lock eyes and I feel the force coursing through him. It’s the most powerful I have ever felt it in our bond, but it is not the dark side I sense anymore. Ben Solo has turned. He nods his head to ensure I understand, and a warm feeling floods my chest. Hope. I know what I have to do.

I concentrate on our bond, the force connecting us, and let go of the lightsaber, willing it to travel to his hands. I see him retrieve it, and start to battle his former knights. Our connection is broken, and I pull out my second lightsaber as Palpatine sends his minions to attack me in a furious frenzy. I strike the guards down, and fight with every ounce of strength I have, my mind cluttered with stray thoughts and emotions. Ben Solo has turned. We are going to defeat Palpatine together.

I stand my ground with the guards for what seems like an eternity, my lightsaber clashing with their swords. My adrenaline is unwavering. A final guard charges straight for me, but is thrown aside before we collide. Ben runs from behind him, and we are truly face-to-face for what seems like the first time ever. We stare at each other in awe, breathing heavily. All I want in this moment is to run to his arms, to be free of this engulfing fear, but I know that is not possible. Our eyes share a knowing look, and we raise our lightsabers to Palpatine.

“Stand together, die together!” He calls out, raising his shriveled hands to us. A powerful blue energy expels from his fingers, and it collides with Ben and I, lifting us into the air. I have never felt pain like this before in my life. I feel like every ounce of energy I have, my life force, my very soul is being ripped out of my body. 

“The life force of your bond, a dyad in the Force. A power like life itself. Unseen for generations. And now, the power of two restores the one true Emperor.” Palpatine is stealing our life forces. 

I cry out in pain, and feel like I am on the verge of death. Every muscle in my body is on fire, and it kills me to know Ben is going through the same. Suddenly, Palpatine lets us free, and we drop. I hit the hard stone as my vision goes completely black.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Rey...Rey please...REY! I wake with a start, and all I feel is excruciating pain in every nerve of my body. I can’t move. I force myself to turn my head slightly, and see Palpatine holding Ben in the air in a force-grasp. He was calling to me, that’s why I woke up. Palpatine flicks his wrist, and sends Ben hurtling backwards. I swallow the pain, roll onto my stomach and thrust my hand outward towards him. I focus on the tiny morsel of the Force still left in me, and stop Ben from falling into a seemingly bottomless pit. I scream in pain, but I am completely determined. Do not let him fall Rey, do not let him go. I repeat it over and over in my mind. 

Palpatine fights me back, and I feel his power threatening to kill me at any moment. But he can’t kill me. He needs me to take the throne. Ben is still suspended mid-air, as I give out a final cry sending him flying back towards me, and he slams into the icy floor a few feet from where I lay. I collapse down onto my back again, and close my eyes. My mind is teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, and I desperately want to succumb to the darkness. To end this pain. I feel someone grasp my hand, and realize it’s Ben.

“Be with us. Be with us, please.” He pleads repeatedly. He lays at my side, not letting go of my hand, and a tear rolls down my cheek. I hear nothing, but I must try one last time.

“Be with us.” I whisper. 

Time seems to slow down, and the obliterated ships above us fall in fiery flames of slow-motion. They fade away and all I see is the stars. 

“These are your final steps, Ben and Rey. Rise and take them.” I hear Obi-Wan Kenobi say.

“Ben. Rey.” Anakin Skywalker says. The voices of Ahsoka Tano and Kannan Jarus fill my mind, repeating our names. 

“Bring back the balance, my young Jedi, as I did.” Anakin says.

“In the light Ben and Rey. Find the light.” Luminara Unduli whispers.

“Neither of you are alone.” Mace Windu says.

“Alone never have you been.” Echoes the voice of Yoda.

“Every Jedi who has ever lived lives in you two now.” Qui-Gon Jinn says.

“The Force surrounds you my grandson. It surrounds you both.” Anakin remarks. 

The voices all echo together in our minds, the moment I have waited for my entire life completely overwhelming me with joy. I know that we will have the strength we need to complete this task. 

“Ben, Rey, the Force will be with you. Always.” Says Luke Skywalker, my mentor, the one who showed me my place in the Force. I turn my head to look at Ben, and he nods. We slowly rise together as a dyad in the force, and ignite our lightsabers towards Palpatine. 

“Let your deaths be the final word in the story of the rebellion.” Palpatine utters as he unleashes his lightning upon us. We link hands, and cross our sabers to form a shield from the blasts. We advance towards the man who has caused endless misery in both of our lives. 

“You are nothing. A scavenger girl and a traitor are no match for the power in me. I am all the Sith!” He screams frantically. 

Ben and I glance over at each other, and feel the power of our bond. We are going to win.

“And we are all the Jedi.” Ben and I say in unison. 

We give a final thrust of Luke and Leia’s sabers towards Palpatine, and his own lightning disintegrates his withering body with a final blow. Ben and I are thrown backwards, and hit the ground yards away from each other. My heart is racing, and my body still in unbelievable agony. I feel a sharp pain in my chest, but I can sense it’s coming from my bond with Ben. It’s breaking. 

Groaning with pain, I hoist myself onto my knees and crawl towards where he lays motionless. I reach him to see his face is ashen and bleeding, and his breaths are ragged. I brush his unruly black hair from his eyes, and place my hand on his cheek.

“Ben? Ben what’s happening?” I barely manage to get out between gasps. His eyes close, and I feel his life slipping away.

“No, I can’t lose you. Not now. Come back!” I plead, and hysterically place my hands on his chest, willing my life force to enter him. All I feel is absolute torture, my life leaving my body as I am about to die as well. 

“Rey, you’re going to kill you both.” A familiar voice warns. I raise my eyes to see Leia, my master and leader, standing before me in a halo of blue light. At her side is her brother, Luke Skywalker.

“Why is he dying? What is happening to him?” I say, my body racking with sobs. 

“He suffered major head trauma when he fell from Palpatine’s grip, and I fear your bond was the only thing keeping him alive while you defeated Palpatine. You have been extremely weakened as well and cannot sustain you both. Now let go of him, you’re about to kill yourself!” Luke shouts at me.

“I won’t live without him, I can’t.” I cry, raising my hands off his body.

“I know, child. All I ever wanted was for my son to find happiness, and he has found it with you. Luke and I both failed him once already, and we will not again.” Leia inhales deeply, and takes her son’s face in her transparent hands. 

“We will always be with you both.” She says with a smile. Leia closes her eyes, and disappears into Ben’s body. Luke approaches me, his eyes gleaming with pride.

“Remember Rey, no one is ever really gone.” As he says that, I feel a wave of warmth and strength enter my body, and I take a deep, satisfying breath. Luke has given his life force to me, and Leia did the same to Ben. I look down to Ben, my heart beating faster than it ever has before, waiting. 

“Ben, please.” I plead, tears still streaming down my face.

I am answered with his chest rising abruptly, and his eyes fluttering open. I can once again feel our bond not only in my chest, but directly in my heart. It beats steadily as a drum. He struggles to bring himself up, and I help him sit straight. His eyes search mine wildly, questioning every impossible moment we just shared. 

We do not speak, and in a moment of pure emotion I cup his cheek and kiss him. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer. There may be endless catastrophe in the galaxy, but in this moment, I feel we are the most chaotic and hopeless beings across all of the stars.

We break apart, and I smile in response. His face shows pure shock, and I question if he feels the same about me. Barely a second later, the smile of a giddy child spreads across his beautiful face. A smile that I have never seen before, but hope to see countless times in the future. I trace the lines of his smile with my finger, to ensure that it’s real, that he’s real, and we’re okay. 

“So we’re okay?” He asks as if reading my mind.

“Even though it makes absolutely no sense, yeah. We’re okay.” I laugh, diving into his arms again. For the first time in my life I feel safe, I feel loved, I feel...home.

“Come on, let’s get out of this hell.” I say, rising to my feet. He follows, and we walk out of this arena of death hand-in-hand, stronger than ever.

A few months later

The Millennium Falcon softly touches down on the swirling sandy ground of Tatooine. I look out at the planet before me and can’t help but see Jakku, my former “home,” where this entire adventure started. The similarity is breathtaking.

“Are you ready?” He asks, pulling me from my trance. I turn to him and nod, sure of this decision. 

We exit the ship, and walk against the wind that blows the sand around us. It stings my eyes, but I don’t care. I see the building from my visions, right in front of us. It is a small, circular structure, and it’s hard to imagine one of the most powerful Jedi in history being raised here. We both kneel on the sand, and I pull out Luke and Leia’s lightsabers from my satchel and wrap them in cloth. 

“Thank you.” I whisper, and will the Force to send the lightsabers down under the sand.  
I turn to face him and he nods, his face full of admiration and peace. He stands and offers his hand to me.

“Didn’t you once say that the next time you offered your hand to me, I would take it?” I ask playfully.

“I believe I recall that encounter, yes.”

“Well I guess you were correct.” I smirk and take his hand. 

He helps me up, and we just stand there, smiling. The suns are starting to set, and a child-like anticipation enters my heart. 

“I’ve never seen a binary sunset before.” I remark.

“Then let’s watch.” He says. 

As the suns set, our cloaks rippling in the wind, I feel the buzz of the Force surround us both. Perfectly balanced. Ben Solo wraps an arm around me, and we stare in awe at the beauty of the galaxy. The peace that neither of us have experienced. Once the stars emerge from the darkness, we head back to the Falcon and prepare the ship for takeoff. I sit in the captain’s chair, with him next to me as my first mate. 

“Where are we going captain?” He asks me, his voice full of hope.

“Anywhere...everywhere.” I reply.

“Then let’s go.” He laughs. I prepare the ship to jump to hyperspace, and feel Ben’s eyes watching me.

“What is it?” I question, meeting his eyes.

“I love you.” 

These powerful words take me aback for a moment, but my response is simple.

“I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! This is my first work on here, so please comment your thoughts!


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